An 18-month-old Birmingham boy is critically ill in hospital after he was shot in the head with an airgun.

The unnamed boy suffered serious head injuries in the incident at his home in Washwood Heath at 6.40pm on Sunday. He was taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

West Midlands Police said the shooting appeared to be a "tragic accident" that happened as the boy was playing with other young children.

A police spokesman said: "An 18-month old boy is in a critical condition in hospital with a serious head injury after what appears to be a tragic accident at the youngster's home in Birmingham.

"The toddler was playing with other young children in the garden of his home in the Washwood Heath area when he sustained a pellet wound to the back of the head from an air weapon.

"A strong line of inquiry is that young children, aged under five, somehow managed to access the air weapon and accidentally caused it to go off."

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "When the crews dropped him off he was in a stable but critical condition."

A spokesman for the Children's Hospital said: "I know this is a subject of police interest already and we will know more as time goes on. I can confirm that we are still treating him. I am not at liberty to confirm anything else."